Autograph Authentication Report
2021 Nintendopes Stickers Open Edition - Artist Mark Pingitore Auto · #1b
Findings
Signature comparison
This card. The signature as cropped from the slab photo (front).
Below, the known examples Crown compared it with. Examples with stronger proof (signed in front of staff, or certified by an independent authenticator) carry the most weight.
Feature by feature
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall form and proportions | Abbreviated two-part signature. A zigzag 'M' runs into a short 'k/h' hump, followed by a larger looped 'P' and a 'gt' ending with a long t-cross. The second unit is slightly larger than the first. | Every reference shows the same two-unit abbreviation: an angular 'Mk' and then a 'P' with a 'g/y-t' terminal. R4 and R5 are nearly identical in proportion to ours. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong right slant on the first unit. The baseline is roughly level and drifts slightly upward toward the 't'. The signature was written vertically along the card's left margin, so it reads rotated on the slab. | There is a strong rightward slant in all of them, and the baseline is level to slightly rising (R1, R4, R5, R8). | Match |
| Letter construction | The 'M' is built as rapid sawtooth strokes, and the 'k' is a short looped hump. The 'P' has an upright stem with a closed bowl and connects into a descending 'g' loop. The 't' is a tall upstroke with a long horizontal cross. | The same sawtooth 'M' appears in R1, R4, R5 and R8. The 'P' bowl and 'g' descender appear in R1, R4 and R5, and the long 't' cross is seen throughout. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'M' connects to 'k' in one movement. There is a pen lift between the two units, and 'P' flows into 'gt'. | The same lift between 'Mk' and 'Pgt' appears in every reference, with continuous flow within each unit. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a quick entry stroke into the 'M'. Ends on the 't' cross with what appears to be a tapered exit. | Quick entries and a tapered, extended t-cross finish, most clearly in R4 and R5. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Appears fluid and fast, with no visible tremor or hesitation at this resolution. The image is low-resolution, so fine line quality cannot be fully assessed. | Fast, confident strokes throughout. The Funko paint-pen examples are broader. | Natural variation |
| Pen pressure pattern | Some apparent density variation within the blue ink strokes, but pressure is not reliably assessable from the photo. | Variable. Cards show fine-marker variation; the paint pen on the Funko examples is uniform by nature. | Not assessable |
| Spacing | A moderate gap between the 'Mk' and 'Pgt' units. | A comparable gap in R1, R4 and R5. The gap is wider on the Funko boxes, where the signatures are larger. | Match |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The only flourish is the extended t-cross. | No underlines. The extended t-cross is the only flourish. | Match |
| Placement and size | Signed vertically in blue ink on the left side of the card front, partly over yellow background art. The size suits a standard trading card. | Card examples (R1, R5, R8) are signed across the front artwork. Placement varies freely, which is typical of artist-signed cards. | Natural variation |
Examiner notes
Our card is a 2021 Nintendopes open-edition sticker card signed by the artist, so the signature is likely 2021 or later. The references span about 2015 (R1, dated 9/15; R5, 2015 Series 1) to the early 2020s (the Funko Pop items R2, R3, R6 and R7, and the 8x10 R4). Mark Pingitore's abbreviated 'Mk Pgt' form looks stable across this whole range. Differences between references track surface and pen more than era: paint pen on Funko boxes, fine marker on cards.
How Crown authenticates autographs: the signature is compared with known examples gathered from Crown's own authenticated cards, independent authenticators and public listings, measured by software, examined by an AI forensic model, and signed off by Crown Grading staff. The decision above is Crown's.
